73-year-old roughed up and arrested for suspicion of public intoxication

by
Preston TolliverThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

01:28 PM, Friday, April 20 2012 | 7465 views | 11 | 13 | |

The Pope County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is investigating an incident that left a Crow Mountain resident bruised and sore after being arrested on what the man and his neighbors claim are false allegations.

Jim Parrish, 73, said he was arrested April 14 after being accused by a deputy of being intoxicated after a spotlight caused him to run his truck off the road and over a culvert. He said he went to the rental property after seeing tail lights drive across his pasture to where two men had earlier been fighting in front of the trailer on the lot.

“I knew that vehicle was sitting out there somewhere, and so I had to watch for it while I was blinded ... I pulled around it on the right and tried to pull back on the road and I couldn’t see I was over a culvert,” he said. “I got out of the truck ... and they started hollering ‘You’re drunk too, ain’t you? You’re drunk,’ and I said ‘no, I’m diabetic and I can’t walk too good. I haven’t been drinking.’”

Parrish, a lifelong Pope County resident, said there were at least five law enforcement officials on the scene, including sheriff’s deputies and an Arkansas State Police (ASP) trooper.

Parrish said he saw a woman living in the rental trailer being handcuffed, after which a deputy told him he knew he was drunk, despite Parrish’s claims of not drinking in more than 20 years. Afterward, Parrish was told he was placed under arrest and asked to put his hands behind his back, at which point the arrest became violent, he said.

“When I backed up and put my arms behind my back, the state policeman ran up and hit me on the right shoulder and knocked me about 10 feet forward,” he said. “And at that point, four of them got on my back, doubled my arms up and handcuffed me and yelled at me to get up.”

Parrish said afterward the officials began kicking his feet and at one point, kicked his leg, leaving bruises. He said the trooper then grabbed his ear and twisted it to get Parrish on his feet.

“If I had had a gun on me that night, I would be dead,” he said. “They were operating out of a mob mentality.”

Parrish was bailed out of jail by his daughter after spending seven hours in a “drunk tank” at the Pope County Detention Center. He said he was denied a phone call and blood or breathalyzer testing.

He was charged $1,450 for public intoxication, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental operations charges.

Parrish was admitted to Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center Monday morning after showing signs of a stroke — symptoms he said he believed lingered from the incident two days prior.

“I’ve slept or rested very little since then,” he said.

Justice of the Peace Dusty Hampton said he received several calls from Parrish’s peers Monday morning, stating they were upset at Parrish’s arrest and he was arrested under false charges. Hampton and a group of about 10 met with DuVall to address concerns, after which DuVall said the incident would be investigated.

“Jim’s better liked in our community and he’s a farmer who’s been out there forever ... and it pretty well upset everybody because they know what kind of person Jim is,” Hampton said. “The sheriff said he was going to look into all of it and he was going to investigate it, and I feel like he will.”

A report and Parrish’s mugshot from his arrest were not available due to the pending investigation. DuVall encouraged anyone with any information on the incident to call PCSO at 968-2558.

Where and when will this meeting take place. I'll be there ready to sign a petition, make calls, raise awareness...whatever it takes!! I'm not kidding, Pope County is worse than anyone would EVER dream. I, too, have been threatened to be arrested for nothing more than being vocal about suspected corruption of a Russellville non-profit!!! I'm ready, let's plan a meeting!!!

Ridding the dirty hands needs to start with Judge Borne and all around. The judicial system is so horrible in Russellville. They double charge people, they wrongly punish people, they are dirty. We need to do something or nothings going to change.

I supported and voted for the sheriff in the past but if half of this story is true I will not in the future and anything less then termination for those responsible is unacceptable and quite possibly there should be an investigation from state AG office

i have known jimmy parrish for 15yrs. some thing like this should have never happened to him their isn't any nicer of a person than he is treats every one the same no matter who you are or what you do! so these so called cival servants should be fired and if the sherrif doesn't do it then he should resign for not doing his job. they are to protect and serve. not beat and pass jugement with out any proof. i hope he nails them to the wall and they don't get away with this!!!!

farm-girl, I would sure love to have a private discussion with you to compare notes on what you know about what is going on here in Russellville!!! Come on Pope County, take a stand; this corruption and secrecy HAS to stop!!

Somehow, this story doesn't seem to surprise me since I have personally discovered several people with dirty-hands here in Pope County, yet they remain in prominent positions!! I only pray that if Mr. Parrish was wronged, those officials should be prosecuted, financially reprimanded, their names published and FIRED!! I think most Pope County residents have no idea what really happens in Russellville or the secrets that follow!!

Would these be the same state trooper that was involved with Mrs. Robinson in Dover, Could this also be 2 of the same Pope Co. Depties. I have know my Parrish most of my life there is not a better person around. I hope people final realize what the law enforcement in Pope Co is really like. We need a big clean the house party, starting at the top.